Hands and scars. Human identity flowing in a tangle of fingerprints, life's traces vibrating in scarred (?) wounds. In this sense, the jewellery collection presented by Peter Machata at the exhibition could serve as a non-conformist portrait gallery. His brooches and pendants refer to specific individuals. They are personalised, while remaining a space of intimacy and integrity. Functioning as both a commitment and a pact, they are the essence of trust between the artist and the „portrayed” person.
Peter Machata has long been interested in the communication between a jewellery designer and its wearer/viewer. He situates it in time through themes such as the relationship between mother and son, marriage, and childhood, and emphasizes it through both small and large stories. He does not hesitate to filter them through the lens of a socialist past, contextualising the role of a talisman, amulet, or relic. He has a sense of the „principle of closure”. Jewellery, for him, is an object articulated by the rhythm of a living body and phrased by the waves of human experience. Today, these are female hands and the reality of pain, set in unconventional lockets and encoded by moments of surprise and care.
For several years, the dichotomy of Machata's profile has been shaped by intensive material and technological experimentation (he is a sculptor by training). He works with digital tools and plastic-based materials, as the variability, precision, and controllable plasticity of this environment allow him to engage with the subject matter in a multi-layered way. He combines digital and classical goldsmithing techniques, and at the fragile intersection of past and present, he passionately gives voice to the most banal material for milling and a goldsmith's version of a medieval altarpiece structure.
Three-dimensional scans of hands and scars suggest dermatoglyphic correctness at first glance, but he is heading in another direction. He demonstrates the portrait as an image that expands into space, as well as an aposematic signal. He is interested in the tectonics of the object, the energetic and subtle phase of movement, and the evocation of brutalist monumentality.
Sometimes an artist subjects medallions to an energetic deconstructivist cut, while at other times they reveal the vitality and fragility of portraits by using the method of overlaying plexiglass reliefs in an almost holographic notation. Peter Machata named one of his collections Život za bolesť / Life for Pain. His empathetic and bold dialogue with those portrayed can be both a trap and a challenge. Do we want to remain distanced or engaged?
Peter Machata (b. 1971) – Slovak artist, creator of unique author's jewellery. He studied at the School of Applied Arts in Bratislava (1985-1991), the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava (1991-1997), and the Muthesius University of Fine Arts and Design in Kiel (1995-1996). He has participated in almost 60 exhibitions (over 20 of which were co-created with artist Jana Machatova) in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Israel, France, Hungary, Austria, Italy, and the United States. He has been selected for the prestigious Schmuck exhibition in Munich six times. His works are held in the collections of the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague and the International Collection of Goldsmithing Art at the Legnica Gallery of Art.
The exhibition organised as part of this year's edition of the Legnica Silver Festival is the realisation of the award granted by the Legnica Art Gallery in the 30th International Jewellery Art Competition TOUCH during the Legnicą Silver Festival in 2022.
Exhibition: Peter Machata „Talking to Her”
Location: Art Gallery, Cathedral Square 1, Legnica
Date: 27.04. – 21.07.2024
